NBC6s Heather Walker reports One of the men arrested for allegedly attacking rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine at a South Florida gym was identified by police as a high Back in 2019, 6ix9ine testified against his own gang, the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, for a reduced prison sentence in a racketeering case. Viral cellphone video showed the rapper on the floor of the locker room while three men kicked him. In 2012, Latin King Members attempted to murder a rival gang member by shooting at individuals standing in front a residence, causing a non-gang member to be hit by a stray bullet. Official websites use .gov Uzar, 27, of Stamford, known as "Ant" and "Hollywood," pleaded guilty to the charge on June 15 before a federal judge in New Haven. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( The Two-Six case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Nozick and Thomas M. McGrath of the Northern District of Indiana and Trial Attorney Andrew Creighton of the Criminal Divisions Organized Crime and Gang Section. The Latin Kings are a violent nationwide gang that distributes drugs to generate revenue and engages in violence to further its influence and to protect its turf, Gang Unit detectives said Medina Jr. is an Inca within the Palm Beach County chapter of the Latin Kings. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The Two Six Nation indictment is being worked in conjunction with the United States Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Organized Crime and Gang Section. The members of the group are Charges included conspiracy to violate the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) statute to include ten attempted murders, approximately ten assaults and various other acts of violence committed as a result of a prospect initiation, leaking of sensitive information to a non-Latin King member, breaking an organizational rule, retaliation against rival gang members, and for unpaid drug distribution debts. "It's a big hit precisely because we are able to take out all of the leadership," said U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling of the five-year investigation by the FBI and the state Department of Correction dubbed "Operation Throne Down." #gallery-1 .gallery-caption { Authorities said Cecchetelli and other gang leaders ran the gang with a Mafia-style hierarchy, with a council of leaders and as many as 11 chapters across Massachusetts alone. #gallery-1 img { Discipline is also important to the success of a gang and the Latin Kings are known for their close knit control on their members discipline. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Attorneys David J. Nozick, Dean Lanter and Abizer Zanzi of the Northern District of Indiana. Gangs that have more Mexicans have 3 points. New Bedford, Member (Former) DEL RIO, Tx - A federal judge has The Latin Kings Prison Gang Profile & Structure - InfoTracer Almighty Latin King Nation Latin Kings associating with the Motherland faction also identify themselves as Almighty Latin King Nation (ALKN), and make up more than 160 structured chapters operating in 158 cities in 31 states. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. They're spirits of loved ones, Lowell High boys tennis players happy to revive the program. According to "The Bonavolonta said the gang distributed drugs and shot music videos boasting about their exploits from the New Bedford, Massachusetts, properties while the property owner helped launder money and conceal their operations. Tejada pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and admitted he was a Latin Kings Regional Officer for South Florida and former head of the gang's Broward tribe. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The gang's operations also stretched into New York, New Jersey and Maryland. margin-top: 10px; This morning, over 500 federal, state and local law enforcement officers arrested dozens of Latin Kings members and associates and executed 31 search warrants at 24 locations. 443. Others face gun possession charges. "This affects future prosecutions of future cases where witnesses may be testifying against different subjects," Cristobal said. The arrest stemmed from a joint law enforcement investigation involving Stamford police, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, Norwalk Police Department and the state Department of Correction. On Tuesday, March 21, 6ix9ine was working out at an LA Fitness in Lake Worth when he was attacked by three men inside the gym's locker room, according to the sheriff's office. Authorities say the Stamford Chapter of the Latin Kings held weekly meetings in the apartment, where police seized a Remington 12-gauge shotgun, shotgun shells and 9-millimeter ammunition. WebLatin kings, Latin Kings, or The Latin Kings may refer to: Kings of Alba Longa, a series of legendary kings of Alba Longa, an ancient city in Latium, or their predecessors. Communities and neighborhoods which this gang has impacted through drug dealing and violence deserve to be able to peacefully go about their daily lives without fear.. Simply put, they cannot be allowed to run unchecked in our streets, stated U.S. Attorney Sofer. Hammond, IN 46320, Telephone: (219) 937-5500 Orlando Santiago-Torres, a former member of the Latin Kings gang, was sentenced to over 12 years in prison. The indictment alleges that, on or about October 6, 1999, Laviena and Joshua shot and killed Guzman for the purpose of maintaining and enhancing their positions within the gang. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 45.9K subscribers. And black is supposed to be their blackness absorbing the other rival gangs. The Latin Kings gang has a variety of rituals that members must participate in, from celebrating specific holidays to various gang signs they use. As stated during the plea hearing, Nieves served as the Inca, or leader, of the Lowell Chapter of the Latin Kings. Have a question about Government Services? WebThe Latin Kings, abbreviated TLK, was a Swedish hip hop group from the municipality of Botkyrka in the southern suburbs of Stockholm, Sweden.. This is for their alleged roles in the killing of Albert Greeny Guzman. The indictment also alleges a conspiracy to possess and distribute five kilograms of cocaine and 100 kilograms of marijuana against all of these same individuals, in addition to Sean Yancey aka Demon, 21 of Gary. It alleges that the following individuals were participants in a racketeering conspiracy that involved murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery, kidnapping, sex trafficking and narcotics distribution: Anton Lamont James aka Ghost, 19, of Hammond; Jason Christopher Brown aka Midnight, 21, of Merrillville; Rodolfo Carlos Flores aka Big Head, 29, of Hammond; Francisco Gamez aka Frank Nitti, 30, of Portage; Joseph Uvalle aka Little Foot, 33, of Crown Point; Pierre Java Forest aka Joker, 21, of Harvey, IL; Keith Trevor Manuel aka Smiley, 26, of Gary; Aldon Perez aka Spooky, 20, of Hammond; Jose Antonio Sanchez aka Sly, 26, of Hammond; Julian Robert Rebeles aka King Porky, 24, of Hammond; Mario Resendiz aka Spank, Rio, 23, of East Chicago; Alberto Tirado aka B Murda, 25, of East Chicago; Raymond Fazekas aka Pirate, 26, of Lake Station. WebThe Latin Kings and Queens Nation is primary spread in Illinois, Texas, and Florida and of course in New York and Chicago. A previous Latin King indictment had charged Anton James, 19, of Hammond, with murder in aid of racketeering and murder resulting from the use of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged role in the murder of Martin Hurtado Sr. } And among the misspelled words was a reference to punishing members who shot innocent "by-standards." This paper reviews the history, characteristics, and threat of the Latin Kings, a gang that began in Chicago more than three decades ago and now has influence in 34 States. The primary source of information for this report was from cooperative gang members. LockA locked padlock The court documents stated Medina Jr. confessed to the attack in a call with an informant. The three-page list of rules for the Latin Kings street gang was quite serious though. The sentencing of these 33 violent Latin King gang members sends a clear message to all who engage in violent criminal activity: DEA and our law enforcement partners will bring them to justice, no matter where they are or how long it takes, stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Whipple, Houston Field Office. Anthony Uzar, the reputed Stamford Latin Kings member arrested in May during a swing of raids throughout southwestern Connecticut, was sentenced Friday to 37 BOSTON A former leader of the Lowell Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) pleaded guilty Thursday to racketeering charges. All rights reserved. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Alleged Latin Kings member Anthony Uzar sentenced to 37 months in prison, Here are your picks for the Best of the Capital Region 2023. Uzar's brother Patrick "Pistol" Uzar, 24, is accused of running a gun-trafficking operation and selling firearms, some of them 9-millimeter or AK-style automatic weapons, to a third party. The Villains. The gangs that have more Puerto Ricans use the 5 point Crown., The existence of so much symbolism in gang iconography is part of the bonding of the gang. WebThis paper provides information on the genesis of the Latin Kings, its symbols, the chapter infrastructure, a statistical profile of the typical Latin King members, the female auxiliary 33 Latin King Members and associates convicted and sentenced to lengthy federal prison terms for racketeering offenses. The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. His lawyer from his prior criminal case didn't respond to a call seeking comment Thursday. } The Latin King case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. The Latin Kings are believed to have about 900 more members outside prison including 500 in Central Florida, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The membership in Chicago is estimated to be 20,000 to 35,000. [27] The Chicago faction of the Latin Kings is recognized as one of the largest Hispanic street gangs in the United States after the Sureos and Norteos, as well as MS-13 and the 18th Street gang, and one of the largest street gangs based in Chicago. [28] His son, 23-year-old Octavious Medina, and 25-year-old Anthony Maldonado were also arrested, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. And black is supposed to be their blackness absorbing the other rival gangs. The indictment alleges that, on Oct. 28, 2014, James shot and killed Hurtado Sr. believing that he was Martin Hurtado Jr., whom James believed was a rival gang member. A locked padlock Fax: (219) 852-2770. In 2011, Latin King Members engaged in a fight with rival gang members at a bar over a gang dispute, which resulted in the death of a Latin King member. Only 166 Latin Kings were registered as inmates by the Florida Department of Corrections in 1997. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Then they have the 5 Point Crown. This paper provides information on the genesis of the Latin Kings, its symbols, the chapter infrastructure, a statistical profile of the typical Latin King members, the female auxiliary unit, gang allies and enemies, financial records, and threat rating. We tallied the votes from this years Best of the Capital Region contest in 100 categories. BOSTON (AP) More than 60 members of the Latin Kings have been arrested on federal racketeering, drug and firearms charges, including the leaders of the street gang's East Coast operations, authorities announced Thursday. He has also been a general assignment and political reporter. margin-left: 0; The majority of Thursday morning's arrests took place across Massachusetts, but some gang members and associates were also arrested in Rhode Island and Connecticut, Bonavolonta said. He allegedly acquired the firearms from relatives and fellow members of the Latin Kings branch in Stamford, according to a 20-count indictment issued in federal court. That individual suffered nonlife threatening injuries. Their full title is Almighty Latin Kings Nation, so it is very common to see the letters ALKN tattooed somewhere on a gang members body. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The Latin Kings are a Hispanic gang based out of Chicago. In the ensuing years Scott covered many communities in Greater Lowell and Lowell City Hall. Guerreo and McMichael were each charged with obstruction of justice under a separate indictment. } Although the gang is splintered into the original Chicago clique and an east coast set, all members identify as Latin Kings. The Almighty Latin Kings and Queen Nation is considered the oldest and largest predominantly Latino street gang in the country, tracing its roots to the 1960s in Chicago, where authorities say it is still headquartered. Latin Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy M. Hail prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Members subscribe to the group's religious Alfred Nieves, a/k/a King Alfy, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conducting enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. Bonavolonta said the multi-year investigation involved an informant who infiltrated the gang's high level meetings. In 2010, Latin King Members assaulted a rival gang member by beating him, striking him with a beer bottle, and stabbing him. A lock ( The Illinois State prison system currently lacks the capability to deal with such hard-core gang leaders who know how to use their "inmate rights" to continue to administer their gang even while incarcerated. According to court records, the defendants have operated a criminal enterprise in Central Texas for ten years beginning in 2005. InDecember 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. } Colors & Hand Signs in the Latin Kings. A week after that incident, Jasmine McMichael, 22, of East Chicago was arrested and charged for her participation in the same confrontation. 5400 Federal Plaza, Suite 1500 Rafael Medina Jr., 43, was arrested this week on assault and robbery charges in connection with the March 21 attack. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found athttps://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. #gallery-1 { The overall threat rating notes that the Latin Kings are a Level Three gang organization; the gang is a centralized, authoritarian, violent formal organization complete with a written constitution and by-laws. These cases are the result of the investigative efforts of; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gary Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Lake County, Indiana, Sheriffs Department and Lake County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents. A friend who grew up on the South Side of Chicago explained a few of the meanings of iconography for the gang the Latin Kings: Their colors are gold and black. However, the motive for the gym assault remains unclear. Surveillance video shows them heading straight to the locker room and leaving with a pair of tennis shoes a few minutes later. /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */, Its easier to shear a sheep than raise a lamb to sheep-hood. ( Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. This paper reviews the history, characteristics, and threat of the Latin Kings, a gang that began in Chicago more than three decades ago and now has influence in 34 States.